Am I going thru Xanax withdrawal?

[macc]

My Doc put me on Xanax 9 months ago for anxiety. I took 1mg XR daily and really didn't taper off. I stopped 10 days ago with the help of a few .25's and I'm feeling light headed all day, everyday. He started me on Paxil 5 days ago, but I'm really feeling weird. I have energy and am not having any other real symptoms besides constipation. But I'm walking around in a daze!

[MootPoint]

I've been staring at your post for the longest, because all I can really say is "talk to your doctor". That and...... if you have any nasty withdrawals, like convulsions, call an ambulance!!

You've made 2 med changes..... going off the xanax and starting the paxil. Who knows which is causing what? I can tell you that paxil MIGHT make you drowsy for a week or two.

I have to be very careful offering opinions because I am not a MD, pharmacist, or nurse, so..... I am not qualified to help and opinions can be dangerous. I just really want you to know that yor post has been read and thought about.

[macc]

Thanks Moot for the response.

He originally wanted me to go on Seroquel!! I'm thinking he thinks I need something pretty strong to control anxiety and OCD.

[bushleaguer]

Like MootPoint, I am not a doctor either.
But from everything I've read about benzos like Xanax, a person has to steadily wean themselves off to minimize side effects. It sounds that not weaning off of them properly caused your current ill-effects.
I recently told my doctor that I wanted to go from 1.5mg/day of klonopin to 1mg/day, and he instructed me to reduce my intake by .25 for a few weeks and then drop to the 1mg. He told me that making "substantial drops" isn't the way to go about it.....I didn't think .5 was that big a deal.

Anyway, I'd do what Moot suggested, and that is discuss all your symptoms and concerns with your doctor. He or she can modify your prescriptions and get you on the right track.

Best of luck!

[macc]

Well guys after 9 days of being off the Xanax XR 1mg, I caved in yesterday due to feeling so bad. Three hours after getting back on I was back to normal.

Really hard to believe I felt so bad.

[MootPoint]

Sounds like you were having withdrawal symptoms!

Really hard to believe I felt so bad.

Not at all. Benzo's are hard to get off!

I've asked my doc to take me off of my maintenance dose of Klonopin (i don't abuse it anymore tho). He told me to drop it by .25. I am on 2 for sleep, so this is not a major drop. I'm experiencing some tremors in my hands and increased anxiety, but that's it.

[WATCHMAN]

Yes I have been using the X for a sleeping aid for the last 2 yrs. I have been told that it can effect your memory. Also your temperment. I am thinking of 25ing it eventually to just get rid of the habit. There have been times that even taking it I still didn't sleep. It does make you sleep effectively though most of the time minus the java helps to.

[Siggy35]

Originally Posted by macc

My Doc put me on Xanax 9 months ago for anxiety. I took 1mg XR daily and really didn't taper off. I stopped 10 days ago with the help of a few .25's and I'm feeling light headed all day, everyday. He started me on Paxil 5 days ago, but I'm really feeling weird. I have energy and am not having any other real symptoms besides constipation. But I'm walking around in a daze!

I was on Paxil prior to being on Xanax. I can assure you that Paxil is just as addictive as Xanax. The withdraw is different but still severe. If you are already taking Paxil and decide to quit, be sure and taper off of the drug. Try not to get into what I call "drug hopping" - switching from one drug to another. The reason I was on prescriptions for anxiety was because I was married to an alcoholic. I left him and have been drug free since last August (2004). Try and figure out what is causing you to feel like you need to take a prescription and find a way to handle it without drugs. Good luck to you and take care.

[Siggy35]

Originally Posted by macc

Well guys after 9 days of being off the Xanax XR 1mg, I caved in yesterday due to feeling so bad. Three hours after getting back on I was back to normal.

Really hard to believe I felt so bad.

Hi Macc. Of course you felt horrible. Sounds like you were going through withdrawl. Since Xanax is what your body was craving, that is why you felt better when you took more - not normal per se. The withdrawl lasted for 3 days with me to a debilitating point. Then, symptoms faded gradually. In all, symptoms to some degree, lasted for a couple of months. Good luck to you. Siggy35

[na4today]

Xanax is so bad! The withdrawal I had lasted about 3 months, some days were bad and I didn't get out of bed but other days weren't as bad. I think you should see a doctor and do what it takes to get off the Xanax all together. With the experience I had with it, it was sucking the life out of me.
Good luck

[findinganewme]

Originally Posted by macc

My Doc put me on Xanax 9 months ago for anxiety. I took 1mg XR daily and really didn't taper off. I stopped 10 days ago with the help of a few .25's and I'm feeling light headed all day, everyday. He started me on Paxil 5 days ago, but I'm really feeling weird. I have energy and am not having any other real symptoms besides constipation. But I'm walking around in a daze!

OK, I may get beaten up for this but in my opinion is that Xanax is not a bad drug ..... if taken as directed. I did abuse it a time or two and took too much, and, of course, drank also ...... what a disaster in the making!

Everytime the doctors did want me to stop the drug, they did mention that it was VERY important to taper off slowly. I, thinking I'm this SUPERWOMAN tried cold turnkey once and thought I was going to lose my mind!

On that note, though, I like to say that there's a big difference between Paxil and Xanax. Now, again, this is MY opinion, as I am NOT a doctor (yeah, that sounds real safe ...... a Dr. with addictions ...... OOOOH, scares me to death.
Paxil is an anti-depressant and Xanax is strictly (I believe) for ANXIETY disorders. Although I have argued and argued with physicians over the years that the only drug that works for me is Xanax because I suffer from ANXIETY not DEPRESSION (well, at least THEN ..... sobriety tends to inflict depression). My point is that no matter how hard I tried, doctors tend to believe that if you're anxious, well you're depressed too. NOT TRUE! At least not with me. I could function just fine with monitored use of Xanax, but throw in an anti-depressant also and I act like a LUNATIC!

So, that, I believe is the reason perhaps that Paxil is NOT doing the same as Xanax. Maybe he prescribed it to get you off the Xanax, but it doesn't make any sense to me since it does two different things.

I'd love the expert's opinion on this ..... the Docs on this site. I'd also like their explanation why Dr.'s are so insistent on putting someone on an anti-depression when "all" (that's funny) one suffers from is anxiety.

I can tell you that stopping COLD TURKEY is dangerous ...... the w/d then is so BIZARRE and you shake terribly (I couldn't even drive), can't think straight, get some phobias that never existed before (afraid to go out), and many more.

You should tell your doctor what you are experiencing. Also, the other thing I was told about anti-depressants is that they sometimes take weeks to actually work!

I hope I've helped somewhat. I'm still buzzled by doctors and their fright of prescribing xanax (when it can help tremendously) ..... and their lack of knowledg on how to take someone off the med without SHOCKING your body and going through w/d's such as yours.

I wish you well ...... let us know how you're doing!